Leslie Fitzwater is expanding her Edith Piaf show at the Broadway Theatre Center.

With two world premieres of work by local writers from First Stage Children's Theater, a visit by one of the globe's greatest violinists for a Milwaukee Symphony gala and two provocative dramas at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, January will feature plenty of ambition on local performing arts stages.

It's also an exciting month for crossovers, with the MSO's bossman sitting in with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, a dynamic young opera director staging a rustic musical comedy at the Sunset Playhouse, and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett stepping up to the mic for Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait." | Jan. 4, 2013»Read Full Article

Bloomington, Ill. — Among Milwaukee's up-and-coming directors, Michael Cotey is one of the most exciting and wildly inventive; in two of my past three year-end theater assessments, I have singled out shows he directed for Youngblood Theatre Company as highlights.

I was therefore intrigued to see what Cotey would do with Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors," which he is directing for the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, in a cast that includes Youngblood regular Andrew Voss and Wisconsin native Eva Balistrieri in smaller roles. | July 19, 2013»Read Full Article

Indianapolis — When Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was imprisoned for 81 days, guards remained within suffocating proximity at every turn as he was interrogated, ate, slept, showered and went to the bathroom.

The Milwaukee River rivaled the water highways of Venice last week when the Festa Italiana Committee cruised its 36-foot gondola downstream to promote the gondola rides available to fans at Festa Italiana this weekend.

Gondolas used to be Venetians' primary source of transportation, but now they are commonly used by tourists. The hand-crafted vessel is indicative of Italian tradition and, let's face it, is downright romantic. | July 19, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

The sign is up outside, and the extensive remodeling is winding down: A new restaurant called Slice N’ Dice is getting ready to serve sushi, seafood and steaks on Pewaukee Lake, in the former Daniel’s Grill and Baja Grill building.

It’s projected to open to the public around Aug. 1 at W279-N221 Prospect Ave. in Pewaukee, said the chef, Kos Saeng. He previously had Yokoso restaurant in Brookfield and was involved in the opening of Screaming Tuna in Milwaukee. The owner of Slice N’ Dice is his sister-in-law, Quyen Ma, he said. | July 19, 2013»Read Full Blog Post(1)

With African World Festival barely two weeks away, festival organizers have announced a major new addition. Soul artist India.Arie will headline the festival, taking place on the Summerfest grounds Aug. 3. The four-time Grammy winner just released her latest album, "SongVersation," through Motown last month.